How to Automate Regression Testing (According to 100 QA Experts)

You won’t find tips on automated regression testing here. This article is about proven practices from worldwide projects that will transform your development, not simply improve it.

For this piece, we’ve set up a meeting with our QA engineers. We compiled hours of talking from over 100 experts into a single, digestible post. Its purpose – to give you insights based on which you can automate regression testing in a way that advances your product and your business.

How to Get the Most Out of Automated Regression Testing

First things first. To get the most out of regression testing, you need to become best buds. So, we’ll begin by covering:

• Automation regression testing misconceptions so you don’t waste your time on them.
• Little-known truths about test automation regression testing that give you an edge.
• Things you can use to upgrade your regression testing services.

Regression Isn’t the Same as Retesting

The confusion with the question “what is regression testing?” likely comes from the definition. Specifically, its one part: “the process of re-running existing test cases”. We’ll be honest: terms are often obscure, and explanations – too technical.

Let’s simplify it:

• Regression testing checks for unintended side effects in the overall application after a change.
• Retesting specifically verifies that a known defect has been fixed.

Say you have an e-commerce website. A developer remedies a bug in the checkout process. After amending this issue, regression testing checks if that alternation hasn’t caused new defects in other parts of the website.

In that same example, retesting would focus specifically on the checkout process where the bug was initially found. It would confirm that the checkout flow worked right.

So, retesting is about whether a bug was indeed fixed. And regression is about whether that fix caused any disruptions in the system.

You Need to Know Your Software & Its Weaknesses Perfectly

Without an acute knowledge of your product, automation of regression testing may turn tangly. When you understand the software’s architecture, critical functionalities, and weak points you can design precise test cases.

Remember that regression looks for issues in related areas, not where a defect was found.
It’s like walking in a labyrinth when you have a map vs navigating a maze with a lighter. One is straightforward, the other – hopeful at best, useless at worst. That’s why you need to make sure your team is well-versed in your app.

Plus, such a connection with your product lets you prioritize the most important parts. This way, you ensure that testing efforts are focused on areas that matter most.

Regression Goes Beyond Smoke & Functional Testing

Regression testing isn’t confined to validating only business-critical features or core functionalities. Its scope extends to a wide range of aspects. For instance, regression tests can be designed to:

• Check for performance issues, ensuring that new changes do not degrade the application’s speed or responsiveness.
• Cover cross-device and cross-browser compatibility to confirm that the software behaves consistently across different environments.
• Detect any security gaps that may have been unintentionally introduced by recent code changes, etc.

So, yes, automated regression testing can handle a lot. That’s why knowing your product in and out is so impactful. This understanding helps you apply regression where it’s actually needed.

Regression Testing & Automation Testing Are a Match Made in Heaven

A special thing about regression is its recurring nature. You need to run these tests after every change, addition, or fix. So, you can imagine how often regression is engaged. The insights this testing type offers is also critical to the overall app health.

These two traits – repetitiveness and centrality – make regression the perfect candidate for automation. In fact, it’s the most frequently automated process. And in 2023, nearly 80% of companies used regression automation testing.

Automated Regression Testing Fits Superbly in the CI/CD Pipeline

Often, manual regression testing is not just necessary but highly beneficial. But just as often, it can be torturous. Running entire regression cycles by hand is extremely time-consuming. It’s like typing out a novel with only one finger instead of ten.

So, if you operate within an iterative methodology or have a CI/CD workflow, add your regression testing automation framework to them. Tests can run with every code commit, promptly covering your app. Here’s a brief overview of how this would work:

1. Developers commit code changes to a shared repository.
2. The CI/CD system automatically triggers a build process to compile the code and create executable artifacts.
3. The pipeline runs automated regression tests.
4. Their results are collected and analyzed.
5. If the tests pass, the pipeline proceeds to the next stage.
6. If they fail, the pipeline may halt, and developers are notified to address the issues.

Overall, it’s a neat, speedy mechanism that accelerates development and unloads your team.

Collaboration & Version Control Enable Better Regression Automation

Collaboration is important in everything. For instance, without it, regression testing in agile
wouldn’t work half as well. Developers can share their knowledge and insights of the app, which will make script writing a breeze. And QA engineers make bug fixing much faster for devs. Their documentation and support maximize the chances of quick, targeted amendments.

Other stakeholders should be actively involved, too. The combined brain power of the entire team will enhance your testing efforts and ensure that regression goes as planned, delivering desired results.

Version control helps greatly with the above. It allows the crew to maintain a history of modifications, roll back to previous versions if needed, and manage different versions of test scripts effectively. Version control also supports collaborative development, encouraging concurrent updates, code reviews, and integration of changes from different contributors.

The Regression Testing Suite Requires Good Maintenance

You update your product to keep it relevant and exciting. Automated regression testing needs the same treatment. As the software evolves, the test cases should be refreshed to reflect changes in features, functionalities, or user requirements. Otherwise, the scripts will lose their value – they’ll be inapplicable to the revamped app.

Here are some practices that help you with that:

• Align tests with application changes and remove outdated tests.
• Prioritize critical tests and improve performance to reduce execution time.
• Refactor and modularize scripts for better readability and reusability.
• Use realistic data and automate data setup and teardown.
• Track and analyze test results for patterns and issues.
• Ensure consistency and manage configurations across test environments.
• Track changes to test scripts and configurations.

To sum it up, keep your regression testing automation healthy and it’ll keep your app healthy in turn.

Don’t Hesitate to Supplement Automation with Manual Regression

We’ve already mentioned the value of manual regression testing. Let’s give it some more love here. Automation is powerful, but it may not cover every possible scenario. For instance, manual regression is indispensable for:

• Complex user interactions, like multi-step workflows or form submissions with dynamic behaviors.
• Visual and UI/UX testing where automation can’t apply human judgment regarding aesthetics and usability.
• Exploratory testing that focuses on locating hidden, obscure issues.
• Usability testing and its aspects (navigation, intuitiveness, and user satisfaction).
• Tests that involve extensive cross-functional collaboration, requiring input or validation from multiple crews.

With automation and manual QA, the aspect of “either this or that” is never present. These two should always complement each other.

For example, if you choose a “retest everything” strategy, you may need to supplement automated tests with manual testing, especially for complex scenarios or areas where human judgment is crucial. Alternatively, selective and risk-based regression testing can focus on areas with the highest impact, minimizing the need for extensive manual intervention.

Briefly, do automate regression testing but don’t forget about its manual counterpart.

You Don’t Always Need Regression Testing

You probably didn’t expect this header. What we mean here is that an all-encompassing regression isn’t always necessary. Over-testing can lead to wasted resources, while under-testing may expose the software to defects. The key point is to find balance.

If you’re debating when you should include regression, you can cooperate with a QA company. They can offer an objective, unbiased evaluation of your case and help direct your testing efforts.

Similarly, you don’t always need automated regression testing. If something from the below aspects sounds familiar, consider postponing or omitting automation for a bit:

• Test cases are unlikely to be reused frequently.
• Cases that require subjective judgment, visual validation, or unpredictable user interactions.
• Application’s UI, features, or workflows are changing frequently.
• Tests that often fail due to non-deterministic factors.
• There are tight time constraints or a limited budget.
• Available tools cannot effectively automate the required tests.
• You need immediate feedback for small changes.
• The project requires extensive cross-functional input.

In the above scenarios, you will be just fine with sticking with manual regression. We’ll talk more about when it’s best to apply automation. So, read on.

AI Is Already Facilitating Regression Testing

Artificial intelligence is a pretty active player in regression testing now. It helps:

• Optimize test case selection.
• Identify areas of the code most likely to be impacted by changes.
• Generate new test cases based on learned patterns and more.

These perks sure sound nice. But you shouldn’t feel pressured to implement AI because of them. If you’re confident you can handle and maintain useful algorithms and have enough resources – nothing’s stopping you. Yet, if you’re satisfied with how things are working out at the moment, then don’t waste your time and money. Keep innovating and improving, however, just when you’re ready for it all.

Meanwhile, good old, plain automated regression testing will support your efforts, especially if you hire QA engineers who are genuine pros in it.

The Best Time to Automate Regression Testing

Now, here’s the previously mentioned guide on when it’s better to combine automation and regression testing. QA testing should begin as early as possible. It lets you quickly fix issues, not allowing them to develop. Yet, that’s not the case with automation.

Here, we’ll discuss aspects that signal that automated tests will be genuinely useful for regression.

• After stabilizing core features. Automating regression tests too early can lead to significant rework and maintenance. Waiting until key features have stabilized minimizes the need to frequently update test scripts.
• After building a minimum viable product (MVP). An MVP represents the most basic version of the product with essential features. Once the MVP is ready, it’s a good point to start automating regression to maintain the core functionalities.
• When manual testing becomes time-consuming. As your project evolves, regression tests must be repeated for every new release or change. When manual testing takes a lot of time and effort, it signals that automation can save significant time and reduce the burden on the team.
• Prior to major releases or updates. Automated regression tests help ensure that modifications don’t introduce bugs or break existing functionality. It’s crucial to have these tests in place before a major release to catch any regressions quickly.
• When tests need to be executed frequently. In agile or CI/CD environments, where new code is integrated and deployed frequently, automated tests allow for rapid and reliable testing.
• When the application reaches a certain size or complexity. The number of test cases required for thorough regression testing increases as your app grows. When managing these tests manually becomes impractical, it’s time to automate.
• When the team is confident in the test design and coverage. Before automating, the team should have confidence that the test cases chosen for automation effectively cover the critical functionalities. This involves ensuring that the tests are well-designed, comprehensive, and representative of real user scenarios.
• When there is sufficient budget and resources. Automated regression testing requires an initial investment in tools, training, and skilled personnel. It’s best to start scripting when you’ve allocated sufficient resources and budget to support this initiative.

Overall, don’t rush with automation. Its benefits are incredible but they come after some work on your part. Make sure you’re ready to support automated regression testing. It needs quite a bit of effort. And be sure to have a team that can gracefully navigate the intricacies of both regression and automation.

Automation of Regression Testing: A Roadmap

You now have a decent chunk of useful info. So, let’s chat about how to do regression testing in automation.

Before you get to the fun part, you’ll need to prepare. And trust us when we say that this prep work shouldn’t be neglected. Companies rather often skip it as they rush to get the perks of automation. That’s how they find themselves in a big mess that could’ve been avoided.

• Identify what you want to achieve with automation. Whether you need to reduce manual testing time, increase test coverage, or improve test accuracy – be sure to have a goal. It’ll direct your testing process.
• Assess the team’s current skills in test automation tools and frameworks. Provide necessary training or hire skilled professionals if required.
• Review the existing manual regression test suite to identify critical and repetitive test cases suitable for automation.
• Prepare the necessary testing infrastructure, such as test environments, servers, tools, and version control systems. Strive for an environment that closely mirrors production to get accurate results.
• Allocate sufficient budget and resources for the initial setup and ongoing maintenance of automated tests, including tools, training, personnel, and infrastructure.
• Foster collaboration between the team and stakeholders to ensure the automation process is aligned with business requirements and development practices.

Once you’ve secured a space in which automated regression testing can thrive, begin its implementation.

1. Start by selecting the right test cases for automation. Focus on test cases that are stable, repetitive, have high business impact, or are prone to human error.
2. Create an automation framework that provides a structured approach to writing, maintaining, and executing automated tests.
3. Choose regression testing automation tools that align with your technology stack, team skills, and budget.
4. Ensure that your test environment mirrors the production environment as closely as possible. This includes setting up test servers, databases, network configurations, and any third-party services required.
5. Start scripting the identified test cases using the chosen automation tools and frameworks. Ensure scripts are modular, reusable, and easy to understand. Follow coding best practices, such as using descriptive names, comments, and avoiding hard-coded values.
6. Run the automated tests on a regular basis, such as nightly builds, or after each code commit. Monitor test results closely to identify any failures or issues quickly.
7. Analyze the test results to understand why tests have failed. Use the results to identify genuine defects and false positives/negatives. Report any defects found to the development team with detailed information to help them resolve issues quickly.
8. Regularly review and update your automated tests to accommodate changes in the application. This includes adding new tests, modifying existing ones, and removing obsolete tests.
9. Periodically review the entire automation process to identify areas for improvement. This could involve refining the framework, improving test coverage, or adopting new tools and technologies.
10. If possible, integrate your automated tests with your CI/CD pipeline to enable continuous testing.

If all this seems a bit intricate and worrisome, it’s okay. Nothing about software testing services is simple. The good thing is that you can always hire a person or an entire team to help you build and run automated regression tests. For QA Madness, quality assurance isn’t just a job. It’s our passion. And this obsession with quality is something more people should have.

What Test Cases Need Regression Automation Testing

To make your automated regression testing more productive, it’s pivotal to apply it right. If you automate unsuitable regression tests, you’ll collect the unpleasant tax that includes:

• Increased maintenance costs.
• False positives and negatives.
• Resource drain.
• Decreased test effectiveness.
• Team’s frustration and mistrust.
• Inefficiencies in the development cycle and more.

To avoid that, you should always think about whether automation here or there is actually useful. Always ask yourself and the crew: what does this give us and how will it impact development overall?

We don’t know the exact specifics of your project. So, we can’t give you a precise, tailored guide. But, generally, automated regression is best suited for tests that:

• Have clear pass/fail criteria to provide reliable and consistent results.
• Are run frequently for coherent coverage without requiring repetitive manual effort.
• Relate to stable, well-understood requirements or features that are unlikely to change often. If you automate tests that alter frequently, you’ll also have to adapt regression testing just as often.
• Require inputting large volumes of data or combinations of data. Automated scripts can handle such scenarios more quickly and accurately than manual testing.
• Cover business-critical functionality or areas with a high risk of failure to ensure that any issues are quickly detected.
• Need to be run frequently or those that require significant time to execute manually.
• Involve complex logic or require multiple steps to complete, as scripts can handle such complexity efficiently.
• Need to run across various environments (such as different operating systems, browsers, or devices). Automated tests can quickly check for consistency across these environments without human intervention.
• Handle comprehensive end-to-end scenarios that cover complete workflows or user journeys across different modules. Automating these ensures that critical user paths are validated throughout development.

Briefly, tests that merit automation should be precise, stable, and frequent. You could also benefit from automating regression tests that deal with intricate stuff, as they will handle such cases faster and with greater accuracy.

How to Choose Automation Regression Testing Tools

Automated regression testing software is like a booster for your development. They make the process easier, more organized, and a lot faster. Because of their impactful role, you should treat their selection with care.

Here’s what you need to do to choose them right:

#1 Identify your testing requirements

• Understand the scope of your regression tests—what types of tests will you automate (functional, performance, UI, API, etc.)?
• Consider the platforms and environments your application supports (web, mobile, desktop, different browsers, operating systems).

#2 Evaluate tool compatibility

• Ensure the tool is compatible with your existing technology stack (programming languages, frameworks, CI/CD tools).
• Check if it supports the platforms you need (e.g., mobile vs. web) and the integrations required for your testing environment.

#3 Assess ease of use and learning curve

• Consider the skill level of your testing team. Choose a tool that aligns with their expertise (e.g., code-based tools for experienced developers or codeless tools for those with less coding knowledge).
• Look for tools with a user-friendly interface, comprehensive documentation, and good community support.

#4 Check for robust test automation features

• Look for features like record-and-playback, scripting flexibility, parallel execution, and comprehensive reporting.
• Ensure the tool can handle data-driven testing, test management, and offers support for reusability and maintainability of test scripts.

#5 Evaluate tool performance and scalability

• Assess how well the tool performs in your specific environment. Ensure it can handle the scale of your testing needs and supports running tests in parallel.
• Test its speed, stability, and ability to manage large test suites without significant degradation in performance.

#6 Consider integration capabilities

• Check for seamless integration with your CI/CD pipeline, version control systems (e.g., Git), and other development and deployment tools.
• Evaluate the tool’s ability to work with your defect-tracking and test management systems.

#7 Review support and community

• Ensure the tool provider offers adequate support options (e.g., customer service, training, and updates).
• Consider the size and activity of the user community; a large, active community can be valuable for troubleshooting and learning.

#8 Analyze cost and licensing

• Compare the total cost of ownership, including licensing fees, maintenance costs, and any additional expenses for training or support.
• Consider whether the tool’s pricing model (subscription-based, perpetual license, open-source) fits your budget and organizational policies.

#9 Conduct proof of concept (PoC)

• Shortlist potential tools and run a PoC to test them in your environment with your actual test cases.
• Evaluate how well each tool meets your requirements, ease of integration, and overall performance.

#10 Gather feedback from stakeholders

• Involve key stakeholders (QA team, developers, management) in the evaluation process to gather feedback.
• Ensure the chosen tool meets the needs and expectations of all teams involved in the testing process.

That’s a pretty long list of things to do when picking automated regression testing tools. We know. But each step here is necessary. If you make a wrong move here, you’ll be wasting money, putting your product at risk, and making your team literally suffer.

Don’t jump at options that have the best reviews, prices, or status. Always focus on what your project and crew need. You might just find a hidden gem that fits you perfectly. But that does need a detailed search.

Consider these automation tools for regression testing as your benchmark. They have ample features and are proven to be valuable helpers for millions.

Appium

• Cross-platform compatibility (iOS, Android, Windows).
• Supports native, hybrid, and web apps.
• Open-source.
• Integrated with Selenium WebDriver.

Selenium

• Cross-browser compatibility (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, etc.).
• Supports various programming languages (Java, Python, C#, etc.).
• Open-source.
• Extensive community and plugin ecosystem.

Katalon Studio

• Codeless automation for non-technical users.
• Supports web, mobile, and API testing.
• Integrated with CI/CD pipelines.
• Built-in reporting and analytics.

Ranorex Studio

• Easy-to-use interface with drag-and-drop features.
• Supports a wide range of technologies and platforms.
• Object recognition and repository management.
• Integration with CI/CD and defect tracking tools.

testRigor

• No-code test automation with natural language processing.
• Self-healing capabilities to handle UI changes.
• Cross-platform compatibility.
• Cloud-based testing.

Tricentis Tosca

• Risk-based testing approach.
• Supports various testing types (functional, performance, security).
• AI-powered test automation.
• Integration with ALM and DevOps tools.

BugBug

• AI-powered test case generation.
• Self-healing capabilities.
• Integration with popular bug-tracking tools.
• Cloud-based testing.

Don’t feel pressured to use these tools because we’ve listed them. They are great options. But that doesn’t mean that they’re great options for you. Conduct your own research. Engage your team in the process. And don’t be afraid to mix and match automated regression testing software. It can be a good approach to saving costs and covering more of your testing needs.

How QA Madness Can Upgrade Your Automated Regression Testing

If someone tells you that automated regression testing is easy, they’re probably doing it wrong. If quality were a simple thing, we’d all live in some sort of heaven by now. QA is about strategy, expertise, and collaboration. And our crew has got it all.

• Around of hundred QA experts are ready to join your project. Most of our specialists are ISTQB certified, so you can be sure you get people with proven skills. Whether you want to build a team from scratch or find highly specific talent – we’ve got it all in one place.
• Our team had been on dozens of projects. From healthcare and IoT to enterprise and Web3 software, our QA engineers are proficient in ample niches. And they can cover any of your product needs, be it functional, ad hoc, or localization testing.
• We make your project our priority. From the moment we begin our partnership, we make you the center of our universe. That includes studying your app and workflows to make sure our experts deliver the most value and fit your processes like a glove.
• We don’t believe in reusing or mixing QA solutions. When you work with us, you get a you-focused, tailored strategy, designed specifically to reach and exceed your goals.
• With us, you get all the benefits of outsourced QA and something more – our obsession with quality. The QA Madness team is quite literally mad about high-quality products. We will not stop until your app reaches the top.

We know that sharing your product with an outside party might be worrisome. That’s why our cooperation would start with full transparency and your protection. You’re free to take a look at our case studies and check out what our clients have to say about us. And if you like what you see – we’ll be here.

To Sum Up

Automated regression testing can be a boon for your development. Yet, it can be such only if you put in the work. A lot of work. We hope that this article will help you do that and simplify the process. Alternatively, you can make automation even easier by collaborating with our QA specialists. Either way – we’re always happy to assist you and advance your project.